Movable face support



July 25 1967 F. H. cREuELs ETAL 3,332,246

MOVABLEFACE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 30, 1964 United States Patent O 3,332,246 MQVABLE FACE SUPPORT Frans H. Creuels and Abraham van Gelder, Hoensbroek, Netherlands, assignors to Stamiearbon N.V., Heerlen, Netherlands Filed Nov. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 414,572 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Dec. 2, 1963, 301,240 4 Claims. (Cl. 61-4S) The present invention relates to a mining apparatus in general and more particularly to a novel movable face support comprising two parallel supporting frames each of which is provided with one or more guide members which coact with guide rods disposed intermediate and parallel to said supporting frames.

Heretofore, guide rods utilized in conventional supports are so profiled that, if a released supporting frame tends to tilt, the guide members come to lie against the guide rod at two obliquely opposed points. The forces of reaction produced in the said points exert a torque on the supporting frame which is equal to the tilting moment, but which acts in the opposite direction. Generally, the center of gravity of a supporting frame `is at a high level due to the heavy weight of the roof bars. Consequently, the tilting moment will be fairly large, even in a rather weakly inclined face gallery. However, the distance between the planes Where the guide members contact the said rods is small because of the limited dimensions of known guide rods. This arrangement thus disadvantageously produces large normal forces which act on the said planes and exert the counter torque. Moreover, the frictional forces which are produced when a supporting frame is being shifted along the guide rods are also large.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide a movable face support which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a movable face support wherein the supporting frames are shifted linearly and wherein a released frame is prevented from tilting sideways in a sloping face gallery.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a movable face support in which the normal forces acting on the guide rod, and, consequently, the frictional forces produced during shifting of a supporting frame, are relatively small.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide a movable support comprising two spacedly removed, parallel supporting frames each of which is provided with at least one guide member, each of said guide members coacting with and being operatively connected to at least one guide rod disposed intermediate and parallel to said supporting frames.

According to the instant invention, if a released supporting frame tends to tilt sideways, the guide rods coacting with the supporting frame are subjected to forces which, together, produce a torque, the arm of which is equal to the distance between the said guide rods. This arm may be long without it being necessary to enlarge the dimensions of the guide rods. The result is that the normal forces acting on the rods, and, consequently, also the frictional resistance to be overcome during shifting of a frame, Will be correspondingly smaller than those heretofore experienced with conventional movable supports.

Preferably, rods having a circular cross-section are employed. Such rods are advantageous in that they are simple to machine and they are less easily damaged since they have no vulnerable edges as would rods having a rectangular cross-section. This is of special importance in 3,332,246 Patented July 25, 1967 Cce the mining industry, where, under the rough conditions prevailing there, the guide rods are subjected to damage caused by impacts or falling objects.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional plan view of a movable face support according to an embodiment of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen from FIGURE 1 that the movable face support consists essentially of two supporting frames 1 and 1', each of which comprises two hydraulic props 2-3 and 2-3, respectively, which are connected to each other by means of strips 4 and 4', respectively, by any convenient means such as bolts, welding or the like. Disposed intermediate the frames 1 and 1 are a pair of spacedly removed end members 5, connected to each other with four laterally and spacedly removed guide rods 6, 7, 6' and 7. Said guide 4rods are circular in cross-section and extend parallel to said supporting frames. Between the inner guide beams 7 and 7 a hydraulic cylinder 8 is mounted, one end of which is pivoted to one of the end members by means of a pin 9. The piston rod 10 projecting from the other end of the cylinder 8 is provided with a wheel 11 whose axis is normal to said guide rods and over which a rope 12 is passed. One end of the said rope is connected to the other end member 5 by means of a pin 13. The other end of said rope 12 is fastened to a lixed point, eg., the face conveyor (not shown). The rope passes between rollers 14 and 15 mounted on the said other end member 5 so that during shifting of the movable face support by means of the hydraulic cylinder 8 (l) substantially no transverse forces act on the piston rod 10 if the point of application of the rope is out of line with the piston rod 10, and (2) a lateral force is exerted on the forward section of the said other end member 5 through one of the rollers 14 and 15, the said force placing the support in the proper position during the said shifting.

Between the supporting frames 1 and 1 are positioned guide members 16 and 16', which are fastened to the strips 4 and 4', respectively, by means of pivot pins 17 and 17', respectively. Guide members 16 and 16' are `disposed substantially parallel to the supporting frames 1 and 1'` Guide member 16 is disposed above the hydraulic cylinder 8 and is operatively connected to cylindrical sleeves 1S and 19 thereby coacting wit-h the guide rods 6 and' 7. lGuide member 16' is disposed below the hydraulicl cylinder 8 and is operatively connected to cylinderical `sleeves 18' and 19' thereby coacting with guide rods 6 and 7.

The guide members 16 and 16 are connected to each other by means of a chain 20, which passes over wheels 21 and 22 provided at the forward position of said other end member 5. Springs 23 and 23' fastened to the guide members 16 and 16', respectively, press against the supporting frames 1 and 1', also respectively, on either side of the pivot pins 17 and 17', via pressure pieces 24e25 and 24'-25'.

As can be seen in FIGURE l, frame 1' is shown in its foremost position, and frame 1 in its hindmost position. When the coal face has advanced .suficiently that frame 1 can be shifted, props 2 and 3 are released and piston rod is caused to move inwardly -thus pulling tthe other said end member S and cylinder 8 forward on rope 12. When the mov-able support is being shifted, wheels 21 and 22 are also advanced, so that frame 1 is pulled forward on chain 20 fastened to the fixed frame 1. After being shifted, frame 1, which was at first a distance of twice the cylinder stroke behind frame 1 is an equal distance ahead of the latter frame. Frame 1 is then reset by actuating the hydraulic props 2 and 3.

During shifting of supporting frame 1, the guide rods 6' and 7 slide forwardly in cylindrical sleeves 18' and 19', which are operatively connected by guide member 16 of frame 1'. At the same time, the released frame 1 slides forwardly in cylindrical sleeves 18 and 19, operatively connected by guide -member 16, along the guide rods 6 and 7. When the frames are in the correct position, rope 12 is aligned with the centerline of the cylinder 8, and all the elements of the movable support are moved parallel to the said centerline. However, if the movable support assumes an angle to the direction in which the coal face advances, or if it has been shifted parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor, a sufficient amount of force will be exerted on the movable support via wheel 14 or 15 to swing it sufiiciently far with respect to pivot point 17 so that the centerline of the movable support is again aligned with rope 12. By the action of spring 23, frame 1 will, during shifting, assume a position parallel to the said centerline.

Guide rods 6 and 7 prevent the released frame 1 from tilting sideways during shifting. Since the guide `rods are positioned a relatively large distance apart, the force exerted on the rods 6 and 7 by the cylindrical sleeves 18 and 18 will be small. Thus 'the frictional resistance to be overcome `during shifting of the said frame will also be small. Even in strongly sloping `face galleries, the supporting frame will, after being shifted, be perpendicular between the roof and the floor of the face gallery.

In yet another embodiment as shown in FIGURE 3, the inner guide rods 7 and 7 have been replaced with a single guide rod 7", which coacts with cylindrical sleeves 19 and 19. In this embodiment the cylindrical sleeves 19 and 19' are substantially semicircular, extending around guide rod 7I over a distance slightly less than half the circumference thereof, so that they can pass each other during the alternate shifting of the supporting frames. Rod 7 is positioned vertically below the guide rods 6 and 6'. The cylinder 8 is positioned vertically spaced above the rod 7 to keep the overall width and overall height of the movable face support down to a minimum. The shifting mechanism is preferably covered by a protective plate 26.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a movable face support, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the invention; and, therefore, the invention is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A movable support comprising, in combination, a rst and second longitudinally extending supporting frame laterally and spacedly removed from each other, each of said frames provided adjacent the ends thereof with a retractable prop mechanism and attached to at least one guide member, each of said guide members slidably engageable with a plurality of guide rods fixedly attached at their outer ends to a body member disposed intermediate said supporting frames, said guide rods lying in substantially the same plane and being laterally and spacedly removed from each other, means to move said supporting frames relative to each other, said means disposed intermediate said supporting frames, each of said guide members operatively connected to and slidably engageable with alternate guide rods, said guide member attached to said first supporting frame disposed above said moving means, with said guide member attached to said second supporting frame being disposed below said moving means, and means connected to said guide members operative to shift said supporting yframes relative to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said frames.

2. In a movable support and conveyor arrangement for mines, said movable support comprising, in combination, a first and second longitudinally extending supporting frame laterally and spacedly removed from cach other, each of said frames provided adjacent the ends thereof with a retractable prop mechanism and pivotally attached to at least one guide member, pairs of inner and outer guide rods fixedly attached at their ends to a body member disposed intermediate said supporting frames, said guide rods lying in substantially the same plane, hydraulic means to move said supporting frames relative to each other, said hydraulic means disposed intermediate said supporting frames and pivotally attached at one end thereof to said body member, the other end adapted to bc connected to said conveyor, each of said guide members slidably engageable with the nearest outer guide rod and the most remote inner guide rod, said guide member pivotally attached to said first supporting frame being disposed above said hydraulic moving means with said guide member pivotally attached to said second supporting frame being disposed below said hydraulic moving means, said hydraulic moving means lying intermediate said pair of inner guide rods and lying in substantially the same plane, and chain means operatively connecting said guide means.

3. A movable support comprising in combination a first and second longitudinally extending supporting frame, laterally and spacedly removed from each other, each of said frames provided adjacent the ends thereof with a retractable prop mechanism and attached to at least one guide member, each of said guide members slidably engageable with first and second guide rods xedly attached at their ends to a body member disposed intermediate said supporting frames, said second guide rod being common to both said guide members and lying in a plane subjacent to the plane of said first guide rods, said guide rods being laterally and spacedly removed from each other, hydraulic means to move said supporting frames relative to each other, said hydraulic means disposed intermediate said first guide rods and above said second guide rod and lying in substantially the same plane as said first guide rods, each of said guide members disposed below said moving means and engageable with the peripheral surface of said second guide rod in spaced apart relationship, and means connected to said guide members operative to shift said supporting frames relative to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis lof said frames.

4. In a movable support and conveyor arrangement for mines, said movable support comprising in combination a first and second longitudinally extending supporting frame later-ally and spacedly removed from each other, each of said frames provided adjacent the ends thereof with a retractable prop mechanism and pivotally attached to at least one guide member, a pair of outer guide rods and -an inner guide rod, said rods fixedly attached at their ends to a body member disposed intermediate said supporting frames, said outer guide rods lying in substantially the same plane and being laterally and spacedly removed from each other, hydraulic means to .move said supporting frames relative to each other, said hydraulic means disposed intermediate said supporting frames and pivotally attached at one end thereof to said Abody member, the other end adapted to be connected to said conveyor, said inner guide rod lying in a plane subjacent to the plane of said outer guide rods and hydraulic moving means, each of said guide members slidably engageable with one of said outer guide rods and 5 with said inner guide rod, said gui-de members being disposed below said hydraulic moving means and engageable with the peripheral surface of said second guide rod in spaced apart relationship and chain means operatively connecting said guide members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,197,965 8/1965 Lee et al. 61-45.2

6 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,340,145 9/1963 France. 1,159,884 12/1963 Germany.

5 DAVID WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

JACOB SHAPIRO, CHARLES E. OCONNELL,

Examiners. 

1. A MOVABLE SUPPORT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FIRST AND SECOND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SUPPORTING FRAME LATERALLY AND SPACEDLY REMOVED FROM EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID FRAMES PROVIDED ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF WITH A RETRACTABLE PROP MECHANISM AND ATTACHED TO AT LEAST ONE GUIDE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS SLIDABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH A PLURALITY OF GUIDE RODS FIXEDLY ATTACHED AT THEIR OUTER ENDS TO A BODY MEMBER DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE SAID SUPPORTING FRAMES, SAID GUIDE RODS LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE AND BEING LATERALLY AND SPACEDLY REMOVED FROM EACH OTHER, MEANS TO MOVE SAID SUPPORTING FRAMES RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, SAID MEANS DISPOSED INTER- 